THE CASE MOTHS (PSYCH/D.^). 217 



enclosed in the pupa case. Here, therefore, we have an 

 insect which in its adult state is for ever excluded from 

 the light, and never even beholds its mate. 



In many of the genera the female is of the most dege- 

 nerate type — a mere bag, a grub-like thing, the head, 

 thorax, and abdomen hardly distinguishable from each 

 other ; without limbs or sense organs ; totally unprovided 

 with wings, legs, antenn;^;, or eyes. In the pupa case of 

 these forms no distinct trace of former organs can be 

 made out ; in others they appear in a very rudimentary 

 condition ; in others again, still more distinctly. Observe 

 the amount of development in two forms already men- 

 tioned, Oikcticus kirhii and Oiketicus saundersii. We see 

 the ordinary grub-like appearance in the first, the three 

 great divisions of the body being scarcely defined, and 

 the whole enclosed in a tough envelope. Here exist 

 neither tongue, palpi, nor antennae,* no wings, and all 

 but obsolete unarticulated feet : the general colour of 

 the body is brownish ; the neck and anus are clothed 

 with wool-like hairs. Turn to Metiira sawidersii, 

 about one and three-quarter inches in length, and in 

 diameter full half an inch ; cylindrical ; of a pale brownish 

 cream-colour, the head and thoracic segments light 

 brown, fleshy, and smooth, the terminal segments clothed 

 all round with dense silky down, of a deeper colour than 

 the rest of the body. The insect is apterous, her antenna 



* Or only the very slightest rudiments of these. 



